End of Women: Part Five

The Impossibility Of Hiding

A flock of geese flew in a V-formation just above a sea of pearly cloud, their downy feathers picking up and flattening with the undulating breeze. The sky above was purplish black, ahead all stars and curving horizon, behind them the pinked shimmer of a coming new day. 

The bird at the head of the formation fell back, his place taken by the next in line. This one flapped his wings hurriedly to get up front and keep the shape intact, breaking the oncoming wind for ease of flight for those behind. Just after he settled into a pleasant glide he felt the wind change suddenly, ruffling his tail feathers. He compensated, tilting slightly, then felt it change again. They were being buffeted back and forth. He honked and honked, signalling to the others that something was afoot.

Before the flock could react, a micro-lite airship zoomed overhead, tossing them all in different directions. The world turned upside-down, the clouds now the sky and the stars under his feet. He rasped angrily, curling his wings to rebalance. By the time the formation had managed to fall back into place, he was at the rear, annoyed by his demotion, his furious honks inaudible to the micro-lite that was already half a mile away, due North.

Inside the tiny cockpit of the flying machine, Balian was fully asleep, his breath misting on the window on which he leaned, his hands on his shoulders for warmth. In the seat behind, Alina was slowly and awkwardly pulling on the Nova suit piece by piece, a golden apple sitting in the cup holder by her knees. Just as she lifted one leg to slide the red-striped black leather pants over her calves she knocked the apple over and it rolled under the seat. She lunged forward, smacking her head against Balian's head-rest, jerking him awake.

'Sorry!' She whispered, scrambling on the floor for the apple.

'Huh-what?' Balian pig-snorted as he woke, experiencing a moment of total confusion as to where he was.

'Nothing, nothing, go back to sleep.' She hushed him further.

Balian creaked his neck and sat up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes. The clock told him they had been airborne for six hours. 

I would ask if you slept well,  but I know you did said the voice of the micro-lite inside Balian's head.

You don't have to be so creepy all the time! Balian thought in reply.

Balian had never enjoyed flying much, and telepathic aircraft were one thing he could have done without.

Sorry. Atminoff never actually tested me on any humans beside himself. I guess I'm not great at predicting responses in people who aren't like him.

Balian thought for a moment.

Oh, I know you didn't, the microlite replied. In fact, you are not at all what Atminoff led me to believe humans were like. He always believed the first person to set foot in me would want to use me to control other humans, to kill or to exploit. I never understood why that was. Your thoughts seem to be mostly about helping others. Your fellow man, and all that. I can't really relate to that either - there are no others like me, you understand - but it seems better than the alternative. You think about her a lot, though. 

Balian sat up straight.

Yes, I noticed that. It was very interesting to me. I always thought hate and desire were opposite emotions in humans, but you have combined them, like a quantum computer combines bits. You hate Alina, but you desire her all the same. How can you feel two different things at once?

Balian let out a sigh.

Good point. If you knew the answer to that, I would have seen it already. Atminoff told me that humans might not like having their thoughts explored like this. But then, humans share their thoughts with their words, so how is this different?